Blog
12 Feb Top Tips for applying to be a TEDx Speaker
Posted at 08:15h
in Career
In 2017 I was asked to help with the TEDx Ha'penny Bridge event running in Dublin. I was delighted to be involved as a Speaker Coach. My own organisation then hosted our own event late 2017. I've always loved TED Talks myself, but I was...
05 Nov 5 Simple Steps to Start Your Personal Brand
Posted at 12:40h
in General
In todays working-world we don't rely on job titles to convey what a person is capable of. Years ago you got the job because you were an accountant, or a nurse, or an engineer. These days, while industries are becoming increasingly more specific, most roles are...
05 Aug How I Painted a Fabric Chair
Yes I did say Fabric Chair and Paint! I also purposely did not call this 'How to Paint a Chair', because to be quite honest a lot of the process was referencing Insta stories, YouTube and good old fashioned winging it 🤷♀️....
17 Mar How to use the Kakebo Budget
Unless you’ve been living under a rock recently, you’ve heard of the Japanese system of Kon Mari for tidying up and keeping your space clear. But you may not have heard of the Japanese system for managing your money in a similar way, its know as...
24 Feb Why you should Hibernate this Winter
In my recent newsletter I mentioned that I was just finished my Winter hibernation and I got a few questions/comments/giggles about it so here a post about Hibernation: Why I believe it's not just for Bears, but for People as well. And why I recommend...
13 Jan Personal Budget: Make the Money do the work
Anyone can figure out their numbers, but without a solid plan the Budget won't magically happen. This post looks at how I implement my own budgeting system and gives you some simple steps to starting your own. ...
06 Jan Personal Budget: How to Plan your Budget
Planning a budget takes some time, but if you put in the work and take some the effort in the long run. Todays post is about HOW to outline your budget. The next post will look at how to IMPLEMENT your Budget, the most important...
09 Dec Personal Budget: Before you start
Posted at 11:11h
in Money
Today I've done a wee post on getting started with your Personal Budget. These are some of the steps that I take when I'm getting ready to update my money plan for the coming year. I like to talk about money. A lot. I think its...
13 Nov How to fit in more Reading
As you may be aware I love books. LOVE EM! Reading is always the first thing to go when I get busy, but I do have some tricks for staying on track. Today I’m going to tell you my tips for keeping Reading in my...
16 Oct My experience using Kon Mari to declutter
As you may be aware I love books. LOVE EM! When I speak about books with people nearly everyone says the same thing to me; ‘I’d love to read but I don’t have time’. I absolutely get this. Reading is always the first thing to...
18 Sep Why Money Mindset Matters
I've spoken on the matter of money, by accident, a number of times now. It was never something I felt I was qualified or experienced enough to talk about. I'm not a financial advisor, and I don't have any formal academic qualifications in money, but...
21 Aug How to find and use a Career Mentor
Posted at 08:04h
in Career
One of my big tips for anyone looking to get a bit of an edge in their career planning is to get a Professional Mentor. It usually comes up at my workshops and the number 1 question I get is: How do you actually find...
24 Jul Why saying Thank You is good for your career
Recently I did a talk at a seminar to a number of people responsible for HR in their organisations. I closed my section with a challenge to the room, which was this: On return to your office, take the time to send someone, an individual email...
02 Jul My experience using Cloth Nappies
When I decided I wanted to try cloth nappies I soon realised there wasn't a lot of information in Ireland. I found what I could and gave it a try anyway and here are some of my thoughts...
05 Jun My experience Floating to Relax
I've been using a Floatation Tank since 2016. It is easily one of the weirdest things I've ever done but I keep doing it, and heres why...
07 May 11 ways my life has improved since I started Life Coaching
Posted at 08:15h
in Lifestyle
Today I was talking to someone about how much my own life has changed since I discovered Life Coaching 6 years ago, both getting my own sessions and training to be a coach. The thing with Coaching is that its a long-term thing, so sometimes...
03 Apr The Hazards of too much Clutter
I have a confession to make: I am a hoarder. Slight correction would be that I was a hoarder. I have recovered now I'm happy to say. I have spent the last three years learning how to live without clutter, and more importantly stay decluttered....
11 Dec Before you make your New Years Resolutions Do This
Posted at 10:00h
in Lifestyle
We’re just around the corner from Christmas and straight after that comes January and of course your NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS. Before the deluge on ‘How to change your life’ begins, I would like to suggest a radical idea. Before you ‘start’ your new year, take...
20 Nov Should I hire a Coach?
Posted at 08:43h
in Lifestyle
Every couple of weeks I see the same question come up in forums I'm on, or I get asked the question: Should I hire a Coach and What should I look for in a Coach?
Unfortunately, Coaching is not a regulated industry, which means anyone can claim to be a Coach. This makes it so much harder to choose a Coach so today I am covering who should hire a Coach and more importantly, HOW to find a Coach thats right for you.
31 Oct 5 Tips to give the best Presentation ever!
Posted at 08:03h
in Career
I have worked in politics for over 15 years now, and over that time I have picked up a LOT of tips of what works and what doesn't so heres a post of my 5 tips to give the best presentation ever!
05 Sep Why you should go on a Retreat
'What would you like for your birthday?', he asked, and quick as a flash I replied: 'Two days off!' And I knew exactly how to use them. What was my plan? EP with the huns? Weekend away with the girlos? Romantic weekend away? Not a bit of it. I had a plan alright, a solid plan to hole myself up in a hotel room for 48 hours and do nothing. Nada. Nothing. Zilch. Time for a Personal Retreat. And I'm here today to tell you its time you did the same!14 Aug A Simple 5-Step System to help you Get Fit
Over the years I have tried many different ways to get fit and while some of them worked for me, a lot of ways didn’t. I eventually came up with what I called the ‘Unit System’ and it works for me. Its a very simple system and I assumed lots of people did similar, but after talking to some friends and clients I realised it wasn’t as used as I thought. So today I am sharing my simple 5-step system for keeping fit.
23 Jul Dyson Hair Dryer Review
For something a little different today I will be doing a post reviewing the Dyson Hair Dryer. The Dyson claimed to dry hair in a fraction of the time without damaging hair, so it had my interest, but at a cost of circa €400 I wasn't going running to get one. Reviewing an expensive hairdryer might not seem relevant to Life and Career Coaching but it is.03 Apr Whats the most important element of the Job Interview?
Posted at 08:20h
in Career
What is the most important element of an interview? I’ve done lots of interviews in my time and I have been both sides of the table. People think the answer is very complex but its not. The most important element of an interview is ‘Overall Fit’. It is your scoring in Overall Fit that will often win or lose an interview. This is one of the main reasons internal candidates do so well in interviews. Its because the panel are very sure of their current fit in an organisation.
04 Mar Knowing your own Enough
Posted at 15:29h
in Lifestyle
Recently I worked with a client who was really stressing out because no matter how hard she worked she didn't feel she was doing enough in her life. Enough career stuff, enough social stuff, enough life stuff. This comes up with people I work with a lot, and it has a surprisingly simple cure. You see the problem is usually not doing enough; the problem is usually the definition of enough. Todays post is going to look at one simple way you can stop comparing yourself to others and accept your own 'enough'.
18 Feb What I learned from running a ‘Self Managing Your Anxiety’ Workshop
In December 2016 I was invited by the DIT Mental Health Society to give a talk to their members around the issue of Anxiety. Anxiety is the most common Mental Health issue in Ireland, in conjunction with Depression. European Health officials estimate 1 in 9 people will suffer from Anxiety at some point in their lives. In America they estimate that 18% of the population will have issues. Theres no way of ever actually knowing the real figure, as in most cases, the issue is never reported. Most people choose to struggle on on their own. Its a pretty big issue and young adults are especially at risk.05 Feb Work it with your work Wardrobe Article
A few months ago I was invited to take part in an article about the importance of developing a great work wardrobe while carving out your perfect career. I spoke with Leona MacDaid, from Maven46 magazine ,and we chatted about lots of wardrobe and career related issues including:- The importance of interview dressing
- The balance between style and functionality
- Dressing for starting in a new job
01 Jan 7 alternatives to New Years Resolutions
Posted at 11:13h
in Lifestyle
I get as caught up in the idea of a 'fresh start' as much as anyone and over the years I have used new years as a great kick start to start some great new habits. I quit smoking at New Years 2009, I quit drinking 2010, 2011 I gave up Facebook... but ultimately the 1st of January is just another day. Resolutions, while fun, can often leave us feeling disappointed and frustrated that we didn't magically turn into better people overnight. Its still nice to do something though so here are a few alternative options for ways to mark the beginning of a new year!
24 Oct Finding the right Volunteering option for you
In a previous post I wrote about the benefits of volunteering as practical Work Experience for people wanting Career Change. The next step is finding a Volunteering option that is right for you. While Volunteering is a great way of giving something back, its important to be strategic about what you're trying to achieve.
25 Sep The Benefits of Hiring a Career Coach (Infographic)
Posted at 18:55h
in Career
Life, Business and Career Coaching are relatively new concepts in Ireland so its hard to explain the benefits to people, and I get asked a lot! However Coaching is well established in the US and this handy info-graph produced by The Life Coach Spotter highlights some the major benefits Coaching clients felt after Coaching including:
- Increasing Confidence and Self Esteem
- Achieving Personal Goals
- Lowering Stress and Frustration levels
- Improving Personal Relationship.
29 Aug 7 reasons people use Linked In
Posted at 08:05h
in Linked In Tips
These days having a Linked In profile is essential to your career journey, but profiles can be used for more than just a job search. Today I'm going to look at 7 reasons people use Linked In. If you are in any way interested in your professional development, have a look at these alternative reasons for using Linked In and see if any of them might work for you.
14 Aug How Job Interviews work: The Interview Panel
Posted at 20:41h
in Career
Over the coming months I am excited to be posting a new Blog series called the 'Job Search Series'. This series aims to de-mystify some of the elements around the Job search and application process. It will also include some of my own tips for helping you get to interview, and performing well. Today I'm starting with Interview Panels and a look at how Job Interviews actually work.
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